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Ex-minister scores NSW upper house seat

Labor has chosen former minister Steve Whan to fill a vacancy in the NSW upper house, just months after he was voted out of office at the March state election.

Mr Whan was elected unopposed on Friday to fill the seat vacated by former planning minister Tony Kelly, who announced his resignation on Monday.

"The nominations closed at midday, I was unopposed," Mr Whan told AAP.

Mr Whan held the lower house seat of Monaro, in southern NSW, by a margin of 6.3 per cent but lost to the Nationals in March thanks to a swing of 8.4 per cent away from Labor.

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When an upper house member resigns, the party he represents fills the seat.

But Roads Minister Duncan Gay said Mr Whan didn't deserve a second chance in parliament.

"Steve Whan's constituents voted him out at the election so NSW Labor should listen to the people and not let him sneak in the back way," he said.

Mr Kelly announced his resignation on Monday because he said it was time to "make way for the next generation of Country Labor representatives".

Mr Gay said that given Mr Whan's links "to Sussex Street head kicker Joe Tripodi and Eddie Obeid" and "his electorate's rejection of him", he was "certainly not the generational change for Country Labor".

But Mr Whan said he was keen to continue his career in parliament because he still had something to contribute to regional NSW, "but also to the opposition, as we try to bring Labor back into a position where we can govern in the future".

A resident of Queanbeyan, Mr Whan said he had missed "the cut and thrust" of politics and the "ability to do good work" since he lost his seat.

"I recognise obviously it is very different being in opposition to being in government, but I still think that there is a lot to achieve," he said.

Opposition Leader John Robertson described the new member of his team as "intelligent, well respected, community minded and enthusiastic about making a difference".

"Steve is well known for his commitment to supporting rural and regional NSW and I know this is something he will be particularly passionate about in opposition," he said in a statement.